Lady of Bordeaux
by ScribeOfIvanhoe
Summary: Who was he before the woman he loved betrayed him? A story of Bois-Guilbert and Lady Adelaide. His love would transform him, uplift him, and inspire him to great feats of honor and chivalry, but in the end, it was the same love that stole it all away. An Ivanhoe fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter I.

The trees spread for miles in each direction, seemingly forever. It was nowhere near the largest forest in France, though, as could be easily attested by the inhabitants of the castle. The towers that rose along the walls reached far above the trees, and from their majestic heights could be seen the whole expanse of the forest and the mountains beyond. It took no more than a minute to climb the stairs to the lovely view, and while it took a little longer to actually cross through the trees and underbrush of various sorts, it was still an easy journey compared to many others.

The sun was setting, and its last rays shone upon the few servants performing tasks outside the castle walls. Their numbers decreased rapidly, as no one wished to remain long outside in the dark, but the bustle and noise within the castle proved that none would be retiring to bed soon. Preparations for a feast were being made, and most of the inhabitants would be staying up into the late hours of night.

From the window of one of the towers, a young woman watched the proceedings. From her clothing, she was only a little above the common rank, probably belonging to the class of lower nobility, and her veil, while embroidered with fine needlework, was made of slightly rougher materials than higher ladies might be accustomed to. Her gloves, as well, while carefully crafted, were not costly, and she only wore a necklace about her throat. No other ornaments graced her body. She was a baron's daughter, and her name was Adelaide.

What she lacked in fine apparel, however, little impacted her overall appearance. Her hair, brown and wavy, framed a perfectly shaped face, skin pale, but glowing with healthy vitality. Her nose was small and straight, with a proper little point to it. Admittedly, her mouth was a little small, but it only served to make her large blue eyes appear all the wider. As she gazed out the window, a delicate smile hovered about her lips, and that, combined with the gracefulness of her bearing, made her seem more of a princess than others of much purer blood.

She had arrived at the castle early that morning, with her family and their small train of servants. They had been welcomed by the elderly Lord Malvoisin, who, despite his years, still presented quite a formidable figure. Lord Montemare, her father, planned to leave tomorrow, perhaps in the afternoon, perhaps later, depending on whether he allowed himself to be persuaded into further partaking of their host's hospitality. They were headed towards a location a good twenty miles from the castle, where there dwelt a family of good reputation with a marriageable heir. If all went well, Adelaide would be betrothed, and she would add her dowery, a section of the Landes of Bordeaux, to the man's current possessions. It was a decent enough deal for him, though her family would do better to find someone closer to home, perhaps close enough for the properties to be adjoined in place as well as ownership.

Adelaide was pulled from these reflections by a cold, wet breeze that began to blow. The sun had been completely swallowed by the distant mountains, and they in their turn swallowed by a heavy mist. As the sky darkened, the fog steadily approached the castle, swirling around the tops of the trees. The deprivation of sunlight changed the forest into something ominous, and with a slight shudder Adelaide turned from the window and lit a torch. Its orange flames cheered her, and she moved to exit the tower.

At this moment the deep, throaty voice of a horn sounded outside the castle, arresting the girl in her movements. It echoed about the walls and towers, glancing off and fading away into the forest. Adelaide returned to the window and leaned forward to discover the cause of the sound. From the edge of the woods, a group of horsemen made their way upwards and towards the castle entrance. There were roughly seven or eight in all; the one in front, sitting stiff and dignified, seemed to be the one who blew the horn, as he held something of the sort in his hands. The gathering fog obscured his face and those of the men around him, but she observed their strong figures and almost military apparel. These were no petty barons; of that she was certain. They moved with the confidence of those who have power and the means to maintain it.

Hardly had she finished her observation when the gates opened, allowing torchlight to spill out onto the visitors. The tall figure of Lord Malvoisin made its way out, followed by a few of his guards. He seemed to waste no time with precautions, however, despite the hesitation of his entourage, and proceeded enthusiastically to meet the leader of the group. They embraced with all the affection and trust of old friends, and Malvoisin welcomed him in a cheery voice, though his exact words were lost in the wind. He greeted the others with less warmth, but equal affection, and with a motion of his hands welcomed them through the gate.

As the men moved inside, the light from within spilled across their faces, and Adelaide unconsciously leaned forward, hoping to take advantage of the moment to observe their features. A tall, slender figure in the back of the group, alerted by her slight movement, turned his gaze suddenly up, and caught sight of her form in the bright window. She started, feeling embarrassed and strangely vulnerable because of the the unexpected attention she had attracted at a moment of so little self-possession. Her first instinct was to duck out of sight, but she feared that doing so would only further display her embarrassment. He held her gaze with dark eyes; the rest of his face was obscured by distance and darkness. Finally, he bent his head and shoulders in a low bow. She thought it best to curtsy in reply- indeed, her head bent forward to begin the act - but the moment his eyes left her face, her body moved to enact what her reason strongly protested, and instead of making the reverence, she sunk quickly to the floor. The hard stones were cold against her sweaty hands, and her pulse reverberated in her ears. For some minutes she remained in a strange kneeling position, torch clasped before her, and strained to distinguish any noise from outside. None made its way past the sound of her own heartbeat, and when her breath had calmed, she slowly rose and looked out the window once more. The courtyard was empty.

A/N: This is just part one of the first chapter. In the next week or two, I plan to post the rest of chapter one, just to test the waters and see how my little story fares. Please leave any thoughts/comments/constructive criticism, so I can see what I should improve on! (or if I should just scrap this and begin anew xD)


	2. Chapter 1: Part 2

Chapter I: Part II

The shaky sigh that escaped Adelaide's lips echoed harshly about the high, chapel-like ceiling. She suddenly felt that the tower was no longer the place of safety it had seemed to be. Up here, separated from the strained courtesies of the castle ladies and the uneasy feeling of having intruded upon a higher family's home, she had been at peace, but the burn of the stranger's eyes had reached even this sanctuary. Hands to her flushed cheeks, she left the chamber.

The steps led down to a long corridor. As she walked, the soft voices of women sounded from around a corner. Like a fleet of ships rounding the cape, they entered her view: the two daughters of Malvoisin and their handmaids. They sailed towards Adelaide, tall and straight and beautiful, a king's navy coming upon a hapless fishing boat. A hushed whisper swept through them, and they came to a stop. Adelaide curtsied; she could not address her superiors first.

"Well met, Lady Adelaide!" the eldest daughter said, in a voice that was warmer than her eyes, "My sister and I were desiring to speak with you."

"Indeed, we were," the younger one added, "though we expected to find you in your room…"

As she spoke, a collective sound came from the others, a sudden rustle as a dozen hands lifted in an eloquent expression of horror. In a moment, the younger sister caught on to the reason behind their actions, and she fell silent.

"Oh, but Adelaide!" the eldest cried, "Are you well? Where is your handmaid? You are completely alone!"

Adelaide had one handmaiden; her name was Marie and she was very delicate. She had fallen sick from the cold and wet of the weather and had lain in bed all morning. When the fever broke, she fell into a deep sleep from which she had yet to awake. Adelaide explained this quickly to the castle ladies, determined that they should not think her so poor as to lack a handmaid. She could see in their exchange of looks that it was still an improper and ignorant decision to wander the castle halls alone. They had learnt their own etiquette well; it was manners, after all, that most distinguished the noble from the peasant. To be noble was to be courteous, generous, and hospitable - or at least, to pretend to be - and so it did not surprise Adelaide when the eldest daughter lent her one of her own handmaids.

"I thank you, Lady Felicia," Adelaide said as she accepted this gift. "Your courtesy does credit to you and your family."

"Think nothing of it," replied the lady, "It is my pleasure to see that the house of Malvoisin upholds its reputation for hospitality. May it never be said that any guest, no matter how unworthy, lacked anything while we can do aught to prevent it!"

The castle ladies voiced their agreement, praising Lady Felicia's commitment to the honor of her family. If there was an insult hidden in her words, none of them acknowledged it, and neither could Adelaide. When Felicia asked if she was in need of anything else - which, she explained, was her reason for wishing to speak with Adelaide - the visiting girl replied that she lacked nothing.

"However," she said, before the ladies could depart, "If you would be so gracious as to indulge my curiosity, there is one question I would ask. A while after sunset I heard a horn sound outside and saw Lord Malvoisin welcome more guests into the castle. I prithee, who are they?"

At this question, the handmaids giggled, and one of them, whispering into the ear of the youngest daughter, caused a deep crimson blush to suffuse her countenance. A teasing whisper rose among them, and suddenly, they were no longer great cedar ships but little sailboats, bobbing up and down with the waves. Only lady Felicia appeared unaffected, as she replied with dignity:

"They are my father's childhood friend, the Lord Henri de Bois Guilbert, and his sons, the knights Enrique and Brian de Bois Guilbert. They have always been the greatest of friends with my father and his family, and it is hoped that one day a bond stronger than this will unite both our families and our lands."

"Two bonds, perhaps," added the younger sister, speaking for the first time, and instantly a second and deeper blush covered the first one.

"Do not voice such idle thoughts, Katrine," Felicia reprimanded her, and her lip curled ever so slightly, "Only the eldest need marry, and it is the will of our father that decides to whom your hand shall be given."

"Yes, sister," the other answered reluctantly, "but think you not that a union twice done will be twice as strong?"

"Peace! That was a pretty sentence, but in reality it holds no truth. Have I not warned you to beware of fanciful and unsubstantiated hopes? A true woman submits her desires to the will of God; we are but humble pawns in His mighty plans. Will you be attending dinner, lady Adelaide?"

"Oh, yes, of course."

"In that case, farewell until then. Come, maidens, let us go prepare."

And with that, the Lady Felicia lifted her skirts and departed with an air of grandeur that did not fit one who claimed to be a mere pawn in the hands of God.

A/N: Ok, so kind of long author's note for this one. First, though I've taken a long time to get the rest of Chapter 1 up, I still do fully intend to continue this story. Life's just pretty busy, so I'm not going to be very quick about it. /em/p

Secondly, I actually had characters talking in this part, and I hope it sounds natural! I've done quite a lot of research for this and other medieval stories I've written, but I always try to balance realism with comprehensibility, so the speech of my characters is somewhat more modern than in Sir Walter Scott's writing. Hence, as much as I love them, I'm not going to be using thee/thou/thine etc, and I'm not going to enforce extremely proper etiquette, always sticking "Lady" or "Lord" before someone's name - my use of those will just depend on the context.

And finally, usually it takes me a couple of chapters to establish the tone of the story as well as the character's personalities, so with this being a WIP, it'll take a while. Despite all that, I hope you'll bear with it and find it enjoyable after all!

Until next time, farewell! - ScribeOfIvanhoe

P.S. Next chapter we'll meet Brian de Bois-Guilbert and some other main characters... :D


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